Security Briefing
by Arania
Summary: Response to some events in "Harbinger." An OC gives the senior officers tips on keeping secrets.


Title: Security Briefing  
  
Rating: PG (for language)  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.  
  
Summary: Response to "Harbinger." The Senior Officers get lectured on keeping secrets.  
  
Ensign Christine Rissman worked at her station in the armory. She was the basic second in command of Security and had a bit of free range. While the others handled weapons, she worked with Ensign Sato and the security team to coordinate activities on the ship. Sometimes it was her job to monitor how well a potential threat was being contained. As she brought up some data on her screen, she sighed visibly and shook her head. One of the biggest security risks on the ship was not being contained well at all. Her tests had showed very interesting results.  
  
Christine closed the screen quickly as Lieutenant Reed walked into the armory. What she was doing wasn't exactly authorized by her commanding officer, but the Ensign had learned to do many covert operations with the security team without anyone else knowing. She had originally trained in Starfleet Intelligence and it showed quite often. Some of the things that went on in this ship would make some of her old instructors cringe. However, when Christine thought back to her old instruction she had an idea and she knew exactly where to go with it.  
  
"You want to take time to do what?" Major Hayes asked her.  
  
"It's a very serious security threat to the ship." The Ensign replied.  
  
"What is?" He asked incredulously.  
  
"It's better if I not say right now, but all I need is five or ten minutes, tops." She tried to reassure him.  
  
"Why did you not approach Lieutenant Reed first?"  
  
"He'd want a full briefing on what I was going to report and it would ruin what I was trying to do. Also, the information I've gathered isn't exactly Security procedure." Rissman tried not to smile as she said the last part.  
  
"Fine, you can have five minutes at the next training session. But this had better be worthwhile."  
  
"Oh, it definitely will, Sir." Christine hurried off to go write up what she was going to say.  
  
The next training session with the senior officers and the MACOs was the next evening. Christine had gathered her information and was ready to try and convince the officers that it was an important issue, a difficult task. After all, she was comparing the ship to her High School. However, she knew they'd realize how much the information helped them, and not just in keeping military secrets. She stood in the corner with her data PADD, waiting for her turn. Christine knew that a few of the MACOs were wondering why she was there, but hadn't commented. After everyone had arrived Hayes stepped forward.  
  
"Today we're going to start with a short briefing by Ensign Rissman on what she claims is an 'essential' security issue." He said, still sounding a bit skeptical and the rest of the officers looked just as so, Reed looking like he was about to voice his objection.  
  
Christine stepped forward slightly nervously and began to speak.  
  
"You're all aware that Starfleet has a policy on keeping information on a need-to-know basis, especially among intelligence and security officers. The term 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' still applies. However, I've been doing..." She paused to look for the right word "...research on the way information travels on this ship using the security team and the results were rather surprising."  
  
Reed finally cut in. "Research? With the security officers? Why wasn't I informed?"  
  
Christine had anticipated this question and knew the answer to it exactly. "It would have defeated the purpose, Sir. If you had known about it, you would have been more cautious." She continued on. "As most of you know, there is quite a rumor mill on the ship, which is natural: it's an enclosed space with a certain degree of monotony and large number of people with time on their hands. It's actually quite a bit like school. However, I found that most rumors are actually true or at least based in fact and information spreads on this ship like a wildfire. I wanted to see how fast information spread, how sensitive the information could be, and what were common ways that leaks occurred. This was inspired by the fact that I kept on getting the lowdown on conversations that had occurred just hours before on the bridge from someone working in engineering. I was attempting to trace the causes of everything."  
  
"How did you test this?" Reed asked, his interest seeming to grow.  
  
"Well, in several ways. I sent about security personnel to do things or have conversations in various places then tracked the responses, I listened to gossip instead of ignoring it, and I had people walk around listening. Not spying, listening in public places. Most security officers usually ignore most sound around them but what they could overhear without really attempting to. The amount of official and... personal information that was collected was astounding." She read the expressions of those listening and answered the question before it was asked. "This is important because of what a visitor could overhear or someone secretly monitoring the ship could discover. The official information could be used tactically and someone infiltrating the ship could use the rest. A serious security risk."  
  
"And how do we go about solving this problem?" Hoshi asked. "You can't tell people to stop talking."  
  
"No, you can't." Admitted Ensign Rissman, "But I compiled a list of ten suggestions based on the data I collected. I rated how much sensitive information could be picked up from the officers. Major Hayes was lowest on my list and..." She turned to Trip, "Commander Tucker was the worst. I would also suggest that the recommendations be taken into account when it comes to non-Starfleet information, unless you want the entire ship to know your secrets."  
  
Christine looked at the officers again and could see by their uncomfortable looks that they were wondering if she knew certain secrets. Christine did, but she wasn't going to let that out. Not yet anyway.  
  
"I'm also going to include suggestions that were given in training at Starfleet intelligence, which could help with on-ground infiltration, especially now that we are dealing with a more difficult situation. Intelligence usually doesn't like sharing tips, but it's not officially classified."  
  
Christine paused and looked at her list. She knew that some of these suggestions were obviously pointed at certain individuals and they might get upset, but it was a risk she'd have to take. She sighed inaudibly and continued.  
  
"First: don't tell someone not to mention something they see or hear if it is not official. It will only encourage someone." This remark was not aimed at anybody in particular and so she said it confidently.  
  
"Second, if you have an issue you think someone might know about, but you aren't sure don't try to figure out if they know or say 'You know, don't you.' If they heard, it confirms their suspicions. If they don't know, they WILL find out because they will know that there is something to know." She looked about, nothing major yet as the 'incident' that had inspired this comment had happened two years ago. The next one, though, would be more pointed.  
  
"Third, the walls are far from soundproof. If you yell something or say it loudly, people in the next room will hear you." Christine glanced at the captain, who had, by his expression caught that this comment was pointed at him.  
  
"Fourth, Dr. Phlox keeps with doctor-patient confidentiality, but with the nature, placement, and sometimes guarding of sickbay, what happens there does not stay there in many cases. The files are safe, but messengers have overheard many conversations. I would suggest that people be more aware of their surroundings." This again was a neutral comment, and Dr. Phlox did not look too shocked. Christine did not mention that Phlox had helped her greatly with this experiment.  
  
"Fifth, visible signs make information spread faster or tell about the nature of an occurrence, especially if someone is monitoring. These should be avoided." This was directed at Reed and Hayes who had just had a very visible conflict. They still had some bruising, and Christine felt like a scolding aunt all of a sudden. She braced to drop the big bombshell of what was currently floating about the ship, confirmed.  
  
"Sixth, unless you want half the ship to know something in an hour, the absolute worst place to have a conversation about something sensitive is the mess hall. It's an enclosed place with many people close enough to hear. Almost everybody here has made that mistake." She decided not to look at anyone too pointedly right here and continued on.  
  
"Seventh, if you must have a conversation in a public area never, ever, say the phrases 'Just between you and me,' 'Secretly,' 'I don't want everyone to know,' and so on. This just lets the people around you know that you are about to say something interesting and they involuntarily start to listen." Christine decided to look around and saw, with some satisfaction, that a certain engineer had caught from this suggestion and the last that half the ship was aware of his mess-hall conversation with a certain Vulcan about a rather personal incident. She suppressed a slight laugh and continued.  
  
"Eighth, I compiled a list of relatively safe places to speak about an issue without it getting overheard by either comm devices (used before by aggressors) or even ordinary people (or what appear to be ordinary people). They are: personal quarters, turbolifts, the lower decks on off-hours (level G especially), the bridge, and most smaller rooms (not public places typically entered) if you speak quietly." Most people saw the logic in this and nodded. "The last two are purely security suggestions."  
  
"Nine, subtlety with visitors. If they have an unusual security detail make it appear that it is standard procedure and use what seem to be less aggressive guards. Smaller weapons are my suggestion. Also, don't mention information that could be used against you if it is not necessary. We've had a few 'accidents' that we can learn from." She continued. "Finally, this suggestion more belongs to Lieutenant Reed but I think it applies in this case. The same discretion goes to away missions, but there should also be a standard procedure including what to say and not to say. Don't give up the coordinates of the ship, how many people are with you, or what your rank is unless necessary." With that she finished and looked around. A few were still wondering how much she knew about them but they seemed to be taking her suggestions well. With that she acknowledged the officers and left and returned to the armory to have a private laugh over the reactions the officers had when she pointed out that half the ship knew what they thought was secret. She knew they'd show a little more discretion, but she almost hoped the gossip would continue.  
  
The best response came from Commander Tucker the next day as she delivered some reports to engineering.  
  
"Uh... Ensign Rissman." He asked after he had signed the report.  
  
"Yes, sir?" She replied  
  
"Just how much do people know?" The commander asked nervously.  
  
"Suggestion two, Commander, asking only gives away truth. However, I can say in this case that it won't hurt you any." Christine quickly left engineering and then faked a coughing fit to hide her giggling.  
  
The End. 


End file.
